U.S. softwood and panel markets - week 18, 2012

May 07, 2012

Source:

Used with permission granted by Random Lenghts Publications, Inc.

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random lengths
Last week's surge in orders gave way to a more moderate sales pace, but
phones remained busy and prices continued to climb. Some mills shifted
from pushing prices to extending order files in the wake of the recent
rally. Others, however, kept files reined in and took advantage of
their ability to provide quicker shipments at higher prices. Another
jump in the Random Lengths Framing Lumber Composite had Canadian
producers eyeing a June reduction in taxes on shipments to the U.S.

Week
May 4

Week
Apr 27

Year Ago
2011

Random Lengths
Framing
Lumber Composite Price*

$329

$316

$262

KD Western S-P-F
#2&Btr 2x4 R/L
Mill Price

301

289

236

KD Eastern S-P-F
#1&2 2x4 R/L,
delivered Great Lakes

393

384

332

Green Douglas
Fir Std&Btr 2x4
R/L (Portland)

247

240

250

Southern Pine
(Westside) #2 2x4 R/L

343

330

268

KD Coast Hem-Fir
Std&Btr 2x4 R/L

320

305

265

Ponderosa Pine
(Inland) #2&Btr
1x12 R/L

615

622

648

* Weighted
average of 15 key items

Structural panel trading was varied by item and region. OSB producers
did their best to follow the upward trend seen in the lumber market,
but prices finished mixed. Strength was most evident in the West. The
market for Southern Pine plywood was mixed in a second consecutive week
of producers' sales trailing output. Western Fir plywood buyers nibbled
at mill offerings, ultimately at a slower pace than last week but still
enough to extend the majority of order files into the week of May 21.